Press Releases > 12d Field - The Future Is Here

12d Field - The Future Is Here

Posted by simon at 2011-03-23 14:49:12

The Future Of Surveying Is Here!

12d Field is revolutionising the industry with complete projects available at your fingertips. 

The civil and construction industries are rapidly evolving with leaps in technology and increasing information becoming readily available. It is difficult to keep up with which businesses are dynamic enough to foresee which solutions are required to grow with the times.

12d Solutions have listened and improved their internationally competitive software suite known as 12d Model over the last 20 years. 

We will discover some of 12d’s insights with a focus on their recent product release known as 12d Field.

We will explore the current demands facing the surveying and construction industries; the power of having whole projects available in the field; the evolution of surveyors taking on specialist roles including data management and finally the tools required to keep up with the industry.   

The Complex Nature Of Surveying & Construction

Over the past decades, there has been a rapid growth in not only the volume of work but also the pressure to produce high quality, profitable outcomes, within the construction industry.

Companies that operate in this global arena face many challenges to remain competitive. These include:

Facing these complexities, construction industry professionals have been searching for a solution to greatly improve their productivity.

In parallel with the development of powerful PC tablets, which are weatherproof, with high resolution, daylight readable screens, 12d Solutions Pty Ltd have developed their latest module known as 12d Field, specifically for the construction industry.

Now, entire projects can be taken anywhere, from company boardrooms through to construction sites.

“Our product really delivers in key productivity areas” said 12d Field Product Manager, Graham Wirth.

“For the first time ever, users can view and utilise entire project models in the field, enjoy real time set out and pickup capability, import and export to all major file types and interface with most survey instruments”.  

After 3 years of development and over 18 months of rigorous onsite testing on some of the largest construction sites in Australia, 12d Field is only now being released internationally.
 
The Power Of The Office In The Field

Previously surveyors onsite had access to only a small amount of data which was pre loaded (into a controller) and viewed via a very basic display. Now with 12d Field, users have access to the entire project in high resolution.

Projects can be viewed and edited (including all strings, points, aerial photographs) and this can be done dynamically in either plan, section or 3D perspective views.

Ease of data management is also a winner. Project files can be sent directly from the field (emailed via onboard 3G cards) to the office in a variety of file formats, some which ensure zero data loss (especially attribute information).

“As 12d Field users now utilise and capture the data live in the field, productivity benefits include savings of approximately an hour a day in the office processing field data.” Said Graham Wirth

“Our clients are pleased with how 12d Field is being incorporated in their business” said Dr Lee Gregory, CEO of 12d Solutions.

“Clients have reported improved data accuracy and an increase in staff morale. Construction workers feel as though they have greater ownership in project outcomes and decisions can be made swiftly when issues arise onsite.”

12d Field provides designers with improved information flows to reduce issues in the field. However when issues do arise, having 12d Field onsite allows users to better resolve the problem.

For example, a designer cannot anticipate how the root system of a tree can affect a a utility. In this instance a user with 12d Field could pickup the roots and send the information back to the designer for a redesign. Alternatively a complete redesign can occur onsite.

Communicating With Hardware Instruments

“We believe in open communication with all hardware suppliers. 12d Field gives our clients the flexibility to choose the hardware that suits their needs. Currently 12d Field supports the major GPS receivers and many High end motorised TPS instruments on the market”. Said Graham Wirth

12d Solutions already has close working relationships with many major hardware manufacturers such as Topcon, Leica Geosystems, Javad, Sokkia, Trimble and Magellan in Australasia and the Middle East.
 
The Future Of Surveyors

With the advent of products like 12d Field we will see the future role of Surveyors shifting more towards being high end field data managers.

The Surveyor’s role will diminish with regard to field operations. Less work will be required on a day-to-day basis as improvements occur to machine control and the in-car GNSS foreman kit which empowers users on site.

The role GNSS plays in the survey process – particularly as improvements in cost, reliability, accuracy and ease of use occur – will see more engineering and site field staff take over the mundane duties traditionally executed by field surveyors.

Surveyors in the future will only look after difficult or highly specialised jobs directly on site, e.g. bridges, monitoring or tunneling; the rest will disappear to engineers, foremen, labourer’s and machine control.

Surveyors will become the construction cycle data managers.

The Future Of Data Management

Within the civil infrastructure industry, growth will occur in the use of electronic, three dimensional models will occur and these models be used at all stages of construction.

The importance of paper plots and drawings will be reduced and replaced by the 3D model, which will allow surveyors, engineers and site superintendants to take the complete design into the field on powerful computer tablets.

Surveyors will be connected to the design directly via 3D data on a tablet PC to both Total Stations and GNSS Receivers

12d Field also allows engineers and site managers to visualise the design on foot or from site vehicles (using 12d Field as an in-car positioning and project tool).

Government specifications will evolve to meet the civil industry standards of the future, with universal acceptance and requirements for the use of 3D electronic designs rather than drawings.

The cadastre will be adjusted to a 3D model via GNSS standards to simplify property definition.

Government departments will specify the standards for 3D electronic data. A uniform industry standard to ensure guaranteed accuracy and standardised coordinate systems. Management of, and contributors will come from many sources outside surveying once standards are governed.

The growth in use of Machine Control and Guidance will be enhanced through seamless conversion flows of design data to the control PC onboard the earthworks or plant Machinery.

This information will be two way. Machines will provide details back to the Surveyor “Data Manager” of as trimmed or excavated levels and compaction details.

The Solution

Productivity gains have been proven. To leap to the future of surveying today, the simple 12d Field setup requirements are:

  1. A 12d Model license with the Survey and 12d Field modules.
  2. A Windows based PC tablet with a daylight readable screen. As 12d Field links many functions to hotkeys, a tablet with physical keys is recommended. Two recommended tablets include: Panasonic CF-U1 and Getac E100W. The Getac affords users one of the best daylight screens, which is essential in bright environments like Australia and the Middle East.
  3. Connection of PC tablet to Survey Equipment by serial cable, Bluetooth, WIFI or radio solution.
    For total stations clients prefer a radio solution as the range is several hundred metres (which is critical for a one man solution). Most GPS solutions link with the Tablet via the simple also opt for Bluetooth.
  4. 12d Field supports all GPS and most TPS instruments on the market.

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